Split Decision (14 page)

Ultimate Challenge

Written by Todd Hafer
Softcover 0-310-70797-8

Chapter 1

To Catch a Thief

C
ody knew the girl who stood, alternately screaming and crying, in front of Pet Planet. She was Jasmine Adams, the seventh-grade sister of Jessica Adams, one of the best athletes in the Grant High School freshman class.

Stealing a sevvy’s purse?
Cody thought, as he sprinted after the punk responsible for Jasmine’s despair,
that is low. If I can get the purse back from this dude, I bet Jessica will give me a huge bear hug— for having her little sister’s back. That might be kinda cool, but then again, it might make Robyn jealous. But maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

Cody smiled grimly as he saw the thief jump-stop, then dash down one of Cedar Heights Mall’s long hallways.
Okay
,
Martin
, he scolded himself
, focus. Quit thinking about girl stuff and get your head into the game…except this is no game.

He arrived at the hallway and paused for a moment. He studied a sign hanging from the corridor’s low ceiling. RESTROOMS, read the sign’s top line, with an arrow pointing left. The second line noted ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES, with an arrow pointing right.

“No exit,” Cody panted. “Dude, I got you now. You are so busted.”

He jogged down the hallway. He veered right and tested the doorknob of the administrative offices. Locked. He smiled grimly and turned toward the restrooms. He walked past the ladies’ room and was just about to push open the door to the men’s facilities when a six-foot-tall, wide-eyed girl with a multi-wrapped ponytail burst from the ladies’ room. “Dude!” she whispered, so loudly that she sounded like an angry cobra hissing, “there is, like, a guy in our bathroom. I’m sooooo gonna go tell security!”

Cody nodded. “Good idea,” he said.

With that, the girl wheeled around and marched purposefully away, her yard-long ponytail swinging jauntily from side to side.

Cody waited until Ponytail Girl was out of sight before he cautiously pushed open the ladies’ room door.
I doubt any other females are left in there
, he reasoned,
but I’m not taking any chances. I don’t want anyone screaming at me or thinkin’ I’m some kinda weirdo
.

He poked his head inside, scanning the room carefully. No one was in sight. He slid into the room.
Whoa
, he thought, crinkling his nose.
It smells pretty good in here, especially for a bathroom. It smells like pine trees or something. This is a whole other world from guys’ bathrooms. And, check this out, they’ve even got a couch in here! Not sure why anyone would want to lounge around near a buncha toilets, but, still, it’s kinda cool.

He studied the four stalls to his right. The doors of the first three hung open. The last one was closed. He swallowed hard and positioned himself six feet in front of the door. In slow motion, he lowered himself into a baseball catcher’s crouch. Then he tilted his head to the left, hoping to get a good low-angle view.

He saw two size-eleven sneakers pointing at him.
Okay
, he told himself,
there’s no female with feet that huge, except for maybe Big Foot’s wife. I’ve found my thief.

“Todd Hafer knows sports and kids. These books will capture kids' interest.”

—Bev Hobden, editor, the Chip Hilton series

Goal-Line Stand

Written by Todd Hafer
Softcover 0-310-70669-6

In
Goal-Line Stand
, Cody's football coach decides to move him into the wide receiver position, forcing Cody to compete with his good friend Brett Evans for a starting spot on the team.

Full-Court Press

Written by Todd Hafer
Softcover 0-310-70668-8

In
Full-Court Press
, Cody tries out for the 8th grade basketball team. He makes the team, but his temper and upbringing to “turn the other cheek” are tested when he's challenged to a fight.

Second Wind

Written by Todd Hafer
Softcover 0-310-70670-X

In
Second Wind
, Cody becomes a solid distance runner and builds a friendship with Cole Phelps, the team's reclusive distance ace, who teaches him a lot about running and life.

Stealing Home

Written by Todd Hafer
Softcover 0-310-70671-8

In
Stealing Home
, Cody is injured playing baseball in the summer league, and learns some hard lessons about the fine line between courage and foolhardiness.

“Enjoyable and realistic.
If you like sports, you will want to share the season with Cody Martin.”
—James Anderson,
Director,
“Hometown Legend”

Three-Point Play

Written by Todd Hafer
Softcover 0-310-70795-1

Cody struggles with jealousy when his teammates Pork Chop Porter and Terry Alston are called up to the junior varsity and varsity teams, and Cody is thrust into a leadership role on the freshman basketball team.

Cody's Varsity Rush

Written by Todd Hafer
Softcover 0-310-70794-3

As Cody moves into a public high school dominated by vocal non-Christians who challenge his beliefs, he finds himself reluctant to speak up in defense of his faith—or even to admit he is a Christian.